A recon platoon came under heavy fire from a numerically superior enemy force, severely wounding several soldiers. Specialist Rascon, a medic, ignored directions to stay behind shelter and disregarding his own safety, ignoring flying bullets and exploding grenades, to run to his comrade. To protect him from further wounds, he placed his body between the soldier and enemy machine guns, sustaining numerous shrapnel injuries and a wound to the hip. He dragged the soldier from the fire-raked trail and, hearing the second machine-gunner yell that he was running out of ammunition, crawled back to the wounded man, stripping him of his bandoleers and giving them to the machine-gunner who continued suppressive fire. While searching for other wounded he saw the point grenadier hit by small arms fire and, disregarding the danger, reached and covered him with his body absorbing the blasts from the exploding grenades, and saving the soldier's life but sustaining additional wounds himself. Making his way to a wounded a squad leader, grenades were hurled at the sergeant. Again he reached and covered the sergeant with his body, absorbing the force of the explosions. When the enemy withdrew, he disregarded aid for himself to evacuate other wounded.

Medal
Of Honor Feature Sites

History

Citations

Photos

Living
Heroes

In
Memory

If you don't see links to
additional MOH Photos at LEFT, CLICK HERE.
To PRINTONLY this page, RIGHT
CLICK on the thumbnail for this photo above and select "Open
in New Window".